Robert W. Jones
Vice President of Youth and Workforce Development, Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle
Robert W. Jones serves as the Vice President of Youth and Workforce Development at the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle. His professional background includes roles as a Branch Manager for Citi Financial and Wells Fargo Financial, as well as extensive experience in program development and design, curriculum development, budget management, staff hiring and training, contract negotiation, and program planning, scheduling, management, recruiting, and outreach.
In collaboration with the City of Seattle, Mr. Jones played a key role in the development and implementation of four successful youth programs: the Youth Green Corps (serving ages 18–24), the Youth Year-Round Program (serving ages 15–17), the Youth Web Design Program, and the Youth at Work Program. These work readiness initiatives were designed to support youth facing multiple barriers to high school completion, equipping them with the tools and guidance needed to graduate and pursue either higher education or middle-skill, middle-wage careers.
Currently, Mr. Jones leads efforts to connect youth in grades 6–12 with community and in-school opportunities through project-based learning, workshops, academic tutoring, mentoring, and experiential learning activities. His program employs a “voice and choice” model, actively engaging youth and incorporating their input to shape services and programming. By fostering interest-driven activities, the program emphasizes academic growth and social-emotional development.
Mr. Jones is also trained in trauma-informed practices and has coordinated coursework in trades and entrepreneurship, life skills, career exploration, college readiness, community service, and civic awareness.